Gisela “Gigi” Escoe of Hyde Park holds a new leadership position at the University of Cincinnati as UC’s first Vice Provost for Assessment and Student Learning. Her appointment took effect on Jan. 1.

Escoe’s new position focuses on developing strategies to enhance the learning experience of undergraduate students and to analyze the success of those methods in line with the UC|21 Strategic Plan that is defining the new urban research university. She has served among the university’s key institutional researchers on UC|21 strategies focusing on student achievement and student success, including on UC’s Integrated Core Learning (ICL) initiative that threads professional and experiential learning (such as undergraduate research and service learning) through the student’s undergraduate career, beginning at Convocation and ending at Commencement.

“This job is an ideal match to my passion for undergraduate teaching and learning at UC and my administrative, teaching and research background – truly a dream job at this stage in my career,” Escoe says.

“This vice provost position is intended to provide resources to colleges and academic units as they develop and employ a variety of strategies for assessing and improving student learning,” says Anthony J. Perzigian, senior vice president and provost for baccalaureate and graduate education. “Dr. Escoe brings a nearly ideal combination of experience and qualifications to this position,” says Perzigian.

Escoe is a UC professor, administrator and alumna. Born in Cincinnati and raised in Ashtabula, Ohio, she earned her bachelor’s degree (with college honors) in physics from the McMicken College of Arts and Sciences in 1983. In 1984, she earned her master’s degree in economics from The Ohio State University and completed her PhD in economics from Ohio State in 1991, after working as an economic researcher for the federal government.

She joined the faculty at UC in 1991 when she was appointed assistant professor for the Department of Economics in the McMicken College of Arts and Sciences. She was appointed associate professor of economics in 1997. From 2001 to 2005, she served as associate dean for undergraduate affairs at the McMicken College of Arts and Sciences and was appointed senior associate dean for undergraduate affairs in 2005, providing oversight for all aspects of the college’s undergraduate mission, including student services, student advising and assessment of academic programs.

Escoe is a published academic researcher in economics and in student teaching and learning. She has presented at numerous conferences and workshops on topics such as developing student scholars, creating teaching strategies to bring about a “small town” feel to a large urban campus, and on effective leadership in education.